Normally, it’s impossible to get the photos posted by the “Stelfie the Time Traveler” Twitter account, unless you’re really good at photomontage, or recreate the scenes like in the movies. But in 2022, we can also count on artificial intelligence, which is capable of generating very realistic fake photographs. And it is this technique that the account of “Stelfie” used to generate the photos of his time travel.
Time travel with AI
On the account, we see a photo of Stelfie chased by a mammoth during the Ice Age, a selfie with a dinosaur, a photo taken during the construction of the pyramids of Egypt, a selfie next to the Horse of Three, and a selfie with Leonardo da Vinci.
????Log #3 – Columbus ship, 1492 DC.
“Laaaaand”
Now, I don’t wanna brag but…
After months of sailing Columbus was lost in the Oceans and well let’s say I may have kinda suggested the correct direction…#timetravel @GodHatesNFTees 801 #Columbus #America pic.twitter.com/kxKbDGL87H— Stelfie the Time Traveller (@StelfieTT) December 8, 2022
????Log #4 – Ulysses and the Trojan horse
So, it is getting a bit messy. I told them I was a messenger of the Gods.
I know, I know…
Also, I was chit chatting with Ulysses and…#stelfie #timetravel @GodHatesNFTees 801 #Greece #troy pic.twitter.com/TsotHAK7QG— Stelfie the Time Traveller (@StelfieTT) December 9, 2022
????Log #5 – Leonardo da Vinci, 1507.
…Right, how do I tell you this?
Have you ever noticed that the version of the Monalisa you have in your present has something familiar?
Well, you’re welcome.#stelfie #timetravel @GodHatesNFTees 801 #monalisa #Gioconda pic.twitter.com/JjW292OQqg— Stelfie the Time Traveller (@StelfieTT) December 11, 2022
????Log #7 – Old West
I mean…
Drunk a few breakfast whiskeys in the saloon down the road and the dude got upset because one lovely lady appreciate my sex appeal.
Speak later, hopefully.#stelfie #timetravel @GodHatesNFTees 801 #oldwest #duel #fun #WhiskeyWednesday pic.twitter.com/VVCdPEBusJ— Stelfie the Time Traveller (@StelfieTT) December 15, 2022
???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? #???????????? ?
????A gift to a random follower.
Make sure to share this tweet and the Temporal Dilation Coupler will pick one of you.See you in the future, Stelfie.#timetravel #stablediffusion #stelfie pic.twitter.com/OanEhnc68h
— Stelfie the Time Traveller (@StelfieTT) December 17, 2022
????Log #8 : a lucky landing
Do not fooking make a sound.
Thanks#Stelfie #Timetravel #StableDiffusion #NFTCommunity pic.twitter.com/eGca22ZFXj— Stelfie the Time Traveller (@StelfieTT) December 17, 2022
????Log #6 – Ice Age chase.
I know…
I had to blur some important and historical data.
You’ll be happy to know they are safe and sound.
Coming back#stelfie #timetravel @GodHatesNFTees 801 #iceage #chase pic.twitter.com/Gr8Td9lius— Stelfie the Time Traveller (@StelfieTT) December 12, 2022
All these images were not taken with a camera. And besides, Stelfie does not exist. According to explanations from Ars Technica, the author of the account, who remains anonymous, created the fictional character (the one who “takes” the selfies) using the Character Creator tool. Then, he trained the artificial intelligence Stable Diffusion with the face of this fictional character. This one also used custom AI models to get the landscapes. And following some corrections, he was able to generate these very realistic fake shots.
And this fake time travel isn’t just regarding the past, as Stelfie also has some snapshots in the future.
????Log #9 : Mars, year 2022.
My fav journey.
I colonized Mars with my camping tent so @elonmusk doesn’t have to.
Feeling lonely? Join me.#Stelfie #Timetravel #StableDiffusion #Ai #NFTCommunity #ElonMusk #parody pic.twitter.com/1OmAIlwOjW— Stelfie the Time Traveller (@StelfieTT) December 19, 2022
Very convincing images
The use of AI by the artist behind Stelfie’s account is very original. And once once more, it demonstrates the level of realism that can be had on the images generated by Stable Diffusion. But it is also possible to train this AI with your real face (instead of inventing a character), in order to obtain photos of you in fictitious situations.
In a previous article, we told the story of a producer who tricked his family and friends into believing he had a new life, thanks to images posted on Instagram, when he was almost did not come out of his house. He had used fake photos of himself, generated using Stable Diffusion artificial intelligence, to trick people into thinking he moved to Los Angeles, rented a really nice apartment, bought a new car, that his career has taken off, and that he regularly meets celebrities. He ended up confessing following a month!
